The present invention relates generally to a pneumatic chiropractic thruster for use in chiropractic adjustment of musculoskeletal structures. More, particularly, this invention concerns an improved pneumatically operated chiropractic-adjusting device for use in spinal manipulative therapy to apply impact forces or thrusts to a human body.
The chiropractic art is generally concerned with adjusting misaligned body structures by manually manipulating the various joints in the human body. Of more specific interest in the art, however, is the spinal column which is comprised of several interconnected musculoskeletal structures or vertebrae. Unlike other, less critical body structures, the spinal column must be treated or manipulated with extreme caution because of its link with the central nervous system.
The human spine is susceptible to many different pathologic abnormalities including misalignment, miscellaneous trauma and pain, and degeneration as a result of age or disease. By employing various physical therapy techniques, though, a chiropractor, or one skilled in the chiropractic art, may be able to successfully treat a pathologic spine. Successful treatment will not only relieve any pain or discomfort that the patient might be suffering, but will also improve the overall quality of life of that patient.
One common spinal-adjustment technique involves applying thrusts or forces to the afflicted region of the spine. In particular, this technique involves either xe2x80x9cmobilizingxe2x80x9d the spine (i.e. passively moving the spine with relatively slow cyclic or oscillatory motion), or xe2x80x9cmanipulatingxe2x80x9d the spine (i.e. applying an impulsive thrust or force in a well-defined direction to a specific region of the spine). Depending on professional affiliations, this technique is referred to as chiropractic adjustment, osteopathic manipulation, orthopedic manual therapy, and/or spinal manipulative therapy.
There are several well-known procedures or techniques for xe2x80x9cmanipulatingxe2x80x9d or administering impulsive thrusts to a spine. One technique involves applying one or more rapid thumb thrusts to misaligned or afflicted vertebrae. Thumb thrusts, however, tend to be both imprecise in magnitude and location and tiresome to administer. Another technique involves using a manually operated chiropractic-adjusting instrument. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,235, issued to Fuhr et al. (xe2x80x9cFuhrxe2x80x9d) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,464, issued to Morgan, Jr., disclose such instruments.
Throughout the years it has also been known that power driven devices at times can offer benefits or advantages in use over the manually operated devices.
Electric solenoid operated adjustors such as ones described in Evans U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,955 issued in 1989 or Adelman U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,490, issued in 1987, can provide adjusting and controllability benefits over manual devices. However, using an electrical appliance close to the body can be potentially hazardous and even prohibited by governmental regulatory agency rules or regulations.
Thus, numerous efforts have been made to develop a pneumatically operated thruster with all of the desired features and benefits required for safe and varied usage of such devices. Examples of such an approach in pneumatic operated thrusters is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,890, issued in 1988 to Bichel and references cited in the Bichel patent.
While the Bichel thruster as described did seek to overcome disadvantages presented in prior art devices, it still did not provide certain features and advantages required to achieve wide spread acceptance and use by chiropractic practitioners.
By way of example, it may be noted that such prior devices including Bichel are capable of only delivering a single thrust or stroke, provide only manual adjustability of stroke lengths; provide force adjustment by changing stroke length and change air pressure only at the compressor or supply source. In addition they involve complicated multiple parts designs which make them more costly to manufacture and more difficult and costly to maintain or use.
The present invention provides a pneumatic chiropractic thruster or manipulator for use in chiropractic treatment to apply controlled impact forces or thrusts to a human body wherein a resilient tipped thrust element automatically adjusts itself for stroke length and force applied by an air pressure driven piston member can be conveniently changed at the thruster by changing the air pressure with a rotatable control having predetermined settings. The thruster can also deliver multiple as well as single strokes with a single push of a valve trigger. The thruster has been simplified as its parts and components to lower the costs and render it simpler to use, adjust and service or maintain.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of a preferred exemplified embodiment of the invention and upon reference to the accompanying drawings.